The lives of the Ward 17 staff are about to change forever when an emotional Sophie battles her father-in-law to retain custody of her two young boys. With her best friends being used against her in a seemingly unwinnable custody fight, Sophie, in her desperation, makes a drastic decision about her children's future. Bron becomes emotionally involved in the fate of a car accident victim and his young daughter. Jared is an unlikely ally when a patient returns to Ward 17 for an operation he is determined will enable him to walk again.
Having responded to the scene of Sophie's car accident, Ben is having difficulty coming to terms with the aftermath of treating people he knows. Sophie and her children have survived the head-on collision resulting from her impaired driving but her friends are even more shocked when her desperate actions the night before come to light. Refusing to lose custody of her children to the man who raised her husband, Sophie confronts her father-in-law from her hospital bed putting Terri and Peter in the middle of a siege situation that will change eveyone's life. Meanwhile, Bron's fundraising netball game disintegrates when some personal agendas come into play on the court and Von's New Year's resolution seems destined to go up in smoke. A comment in the OR results in a nurse filing a report against Luke for negligence.
Terri struggles to deal with what has happened to her friends Sophie and Peter. Bron learns about the hierarchy in the ambulance organisation when she finds herself under the supervision of a strict training officer. Having been confined to desk work while recovering from his Post Traumatic Stress, Ben confronts his demons when he resuscitates a girl at a local shopping mall. Jared and Samantha's blossoming romance is tested when they disagree on a patient's diagnosis. Despite downplaying the honour publicly, Von is secretly thrilled to be chosen as Employee of the Month. Connor ignores pleas to seek treatment for his bad back — until he sets eyes on Lily, the gorgeous acupuncturist.
A busy day on the ward turns to chaos when the Health Minister is brought in as a patient. Experiencing first-hand the demands on the public health system, the Minister is sympathetic to the needs of the nursing staff but can offer nothing more than an expression of support. A lack of beds on the ward means a patient is left to recover from her operation on a trolley in the corridor. Despite protests from Steph, Luke is authorised to send the patient home early — a decision that has disastrous consequences. Terri struggles to help a Peter cope with his disabilities. Discouraged by his prognosis for recovery, Peter has difficulty adjusting to life in the hospital as a patient. Connor's visit to Lily, the beautiful acupuncturist, has embarrassing repercussions.
Terri's emotional equilibrium is tipped when an old flame and colleague, Dr. Mitch Stevens, returns to All Saints after a ten year absence. She is confronted with her past and he delights in stirring the pot. Jaz is forced to make a decision about her pregnancy while Terri and Steph have a confrontation over the issue. Jared sticks to his old-fashioned romantic ideas in his quest to win Samantha's affections. Connor's life is made difficult by a female truck driver while Ben is forced to deal with an emergency situation while on an abseiling course.
Mitch Stevens' unorthodox doctoring style brings tension — and humour — to Terri's ward. He steps on many toes as he goes but his decisions prove to be life-saving. Ben's first day back on the job as a paramedic brings unanticipated challenges for Bron when a young mother suffers an horrific tractor accident. Samantha O'Hara suffers a crisis of confidence when she makes a diagnostic mistake which affects her budding relationship with Jared while Connor becomes the unwitting pawn in a lapdancer's manipulative game. Terri steps in to care for Peter when he dismisses his homecare nurse.
In an episode about dependence between friends, partners and workmates, dependence takes the form of teamwork, friendship and co-operation for some, while for others it is a reminder of a lack of independence. A street kid holds Mitch hostage in an attempt to abduct his junkie friend from Ward 17. Bron and Ben are faced with a complicated premature childbirth which tests Bron and brings up painful memories for Ben. Terri tries to help Peter cope with his trying day as a hospital out-patient. Connor suspects a budding romance between two patients. Von's Employeee of the Month honour garners her more unwanted attention.
When a Jehovah's Witness patient is admitted for treatment, Terri and Luke find themselves on opposing sides of an ethical dilemma. Bron is forced to make some difficult decisions in order to save a life when she is caught up in an armed robbery. Mitch is devastated by the unexpected death of a patient despite his furious efforts to resuscitate her. Conner scores a double date with a surprising conclusion.
The ward is thrown into turmoil when a patient who claims to be psychic says she spoke to the ghost of Sophie Williams who comforted her through the night. The woman's claims and the associated media coverage keep the staff on edge but the arrival of one young visitor pushes Von over the edge. Terri finds herself torn between her duty as a nurse and as a nun when she tries to help a young patient confused about his sexuality. Bron and Jared find life steamy at home when Connor has a house call from Lily. Peter gets more than he bargained for when he wallows in self-pity once too often.
Peter is pushed to the limit when his life seems to be falling apart and he considers taking drastic measures. Samantha and Jared suspect a son of drugging his father but their differing approachs to the case serves to highlight their different backgrounds. Ben decides he can't wait for Steph to come around to the idea of having children and makes a momentous decision. While running the ward, Steph sends the staff mad when she takes her study too seriously. Jared and Samantha's relationship is made public, much to Jared's surprise. Luke leads a group of students on rounds and Mitch find the proper motivation to aid a patient's recovery.
Ward 17 is thrown into turmoil when Danny Bucknell is admitted as a patient to recover following a suicide attempt. It's a guilt-stricken time for Peter when his son goes missing and he comes to the realisation that it is time he focused on being a good father again. When Jaz's final attempts to make him admit to the rape fail, she makes an important life decision and announces her resignation with the intention of going back to school. Bron and Ben disagree about how best to handle the situation when they attend to a man who has been trapped under a fallen tree. Mitch picks up an interesting case from Emergency and Connor has the day from Hell when Joan Marden, the Assistant Director of Nursing, comes under his care.
Emotions on a personal level are running high when Peter shocks his friends by revealing he has resigned from All Saints, leaving Terri feeling lost and alone. Bron finds it hard to stick to ambulance procedures when a young security guard that has been shot during an armed robbery at Cougars is a friend. A young bashing victim tells Steph a secret, leaving her to decide whether to tell the police or not. Samantha finally meets Jared's mother but her hopes for making a good first impression are quickly dashed. Meanwhile, a new temporary ward clerk irritates the staff.
Professional boundaries are overstepped when Mitch and Luke clash over treatment for a girl with a brain aneurysm. Bron comes to a shocking realisation about herself when she treats a man who has failed in a suicide attempt. After discovering Ben has been going to sperm bank, Steph thinks he is obsessed with becoming a father but delivering a baby helps her understand his desperation. Meanwhile, Von is puzzled by the mysterious behaviour of one of the patients in her care and Jared accuses Bron of stealing the rent money.
Jared and Samantha's relationship is strained after he finds himself unknowingly caring for her mother when she is admitted to Ward 17 for a hip replacement and he finally learns why Sam has been hiding details of her personal life from him. Ben and Bron clash when she doesn't follow procedure while dealing with a heroin-addicted mother at the scene of a car accident. Forced to file a report on the incident, Ben then accuses Bron of taking advantage of their friendship. Von finds herself in the middle of a love triangle as she tries to keep a patient's wife and mistress from meeting one another. Luke's patient, a recovering drug addict, refuses pain medication after surgery leaving Terri to seek out alternative treatments. Meanwhile, Connor celebrates a birthdayand another temporary ward clerk joins the team.
Mitch is forced to confront his fears when a cancer patient refuses treatment. He embarks on a campaign to make his patient change his mind but ending up drunk and alone, he bangs on Terri's door. Steph gets starry-eyed about a possible promotion when Joan recommends Terri for a new position as her replacement. Bron gets the "relative from Hell" when she finds herself under constant scrutiny by a patient's daughter during her ward shift. Meanwhile, Jared blames Connor when Samantha's mother takes a fall and Ward 17 is finally sent a charming, polite and quick ward clerk… but for how long?
It's a heartbreaking time for Samantha when her mother does not respond to treatment for pneumonia and a wound infection. She finds she cannot cope with her impending death and Jared is shocked when she drops a bombshell on him. When an eager young bystander rescues an alcoholic from a blazing warehouse, Ben suspects foul play while Bron learns that ego is a dirty word. Meanwhile, Mitch uses his voodoo skills to help a deluded patient.
It's a hard day out in the field for Ben and Luke when they come into conflict over their differing approaches to saving a factory worker with his arm caught in a machine. Steph questions her choice not to have children when she nurses a successful businesswoman, diagnosed with breast cancer, who regrets giving up her child for adoption during her teenage years. Connor fears that a series of late nights may have caused him to endanger the life of a patient. Terri is concerned Jared's unresolved feelings about his break-up with Samantha are affecting his work.
Emotions run high when a patient claims to have been fully conscious during an agonising operation. While the doctors and administration dismiss the very notion, Steph fights to have the woman's concerns heard. Bron fears her prejudices may result in a young girl being separated from her junkie mother. Is it too late to stop Welfare from interferring? Connor is having trouble with his ancupuncturist girlfriend after slighting her profession and must find a way back into her good books. Recommending a patient who is refusing any pain medication may be just what he needs… or not. Meanwhile, Von is forced to enlist some male help in getting through to a troubled teenage boy.
Luke has had enough… Bron has been avoiding him and he needs to know where he stands in her life. Confronting her, Luke demands to know why she insists on messing with his emotions. Despite attempts to avoid the real issue, Bron is faced with an insistent Luke — he wants her to let him know what she wants, needs, expects from him. Bron takes that ultimatum with her on her paramedic shift.
Sister Bernard again questions Terri about her commitment to All Saints and apparent lack of commitment to the Order's community house. Terri is outraged to learn that Bernard has already taken the liberty of discussing the situation with the Superior General. To Bernard's way of thinking, Terri needs to make a decision about what really is the priority in her life.
Working on Ward 17 as an agency nurse, Bron is allocated a patient, Phil Oram, who has no memory of the accident in which he lost his wife and child. When he meets Bron he does remember something — Bron attended the accident as an ambulance officer. But while he remembers Bron, she has no memory of him, nor even of attending the scene.
Teenaged twins Alan and Brett Cameron [originally seen in episode 1.39, although not by these actors] suffer from cystic fibrosis and have been on a long waiting list for lung transplants. Their overall health has deteriorated recently with Alan bedridden at home with pseudomonas. Brett has the same condition but is not quite as acutely ill as his brother. Alan has been brought on to Ward 17 for treatment. The staff know Alan and his brother very well — they have been regular patients at All Saints all their lives, and they are extremely well-informed about their cystic fibrosis and its complications.
Ben and Bron are called to a suburban house and soon realise that the occupant, although a fully grown man, is severely developmentally delayed. It takes the police's arrival to gain entrance to the house, where the young man's grandmother lies dead at the kitchen table. During the laying-out process, Thomas panics, runs from the house and is hit by a car. Although he is not badly injured, Bron feels responsible, and stays with him during his admission to Ward 17. Thomas clings to Bron as a familiar face and is comforted when she is back the following day as an agency nurse. He bonds with her but she just cannot manage to explain to him that his nanna is not coming back. Meanwhile, the hospital social worker assesses Thomas and decides to recommend to Community Services that Thomas should be institutionalised. Somehow Bron can't bring herself to give up on the idea Thomas could have a brighter future than this.
Bron is going all-out to help mentally disabled patient Thomas with his assessment for placement by Community Services. She believes he is capable of living in a share household with minimum supervision and this would help him develop further — rather than being institutionalised. But there is a major setback when Thomas is distressed by a casual shift nurse and then refuses to practise any of the life skills (feeding and dressing himself) which Bron has been helping him learn. Terri points out that Bron will just have to start over again but time is running out as the second assessment is due later in the day.
Terri becomes suspicious about the reasons for a man's repeat hospital visits. Neil has been admitted to All Saints for a variety of complaints over recent months. And now he is being prepped for an appendicectomy. After more than a decade in nursing, Terri knows patients sometimes develop a crush on their nurse but she begins to think there is something much stranger behind Neil's run of accidents and illnesses.
Terri takes another step in defining her newly-found independence, she invites her parents to dinner. Mitch knows Ryan and Eileen Sullivan from the "old days" and his concern suggests Terri may be in for a difficult evening. Terri reluctantly extends and invitation to Mitch but it proves to be a wise move. As the evening progresses, so does Ryan's mood — from avuncular father to aggressive bully. The mood swing is connected to Ryan's heavy drinking. But Mitch is called back to the hospital and Terri has to deal with the end of the evening solo.
Mary Ellison is brought into Emergency after having collapsed in the streets. Mitch tries to examine her, only to find the young girl is terrified of him. Mitch is forced to call Terri in to help when Mary's mother turns up and seems even more horrified that a man might think about touching her daughter. Terri and Mitch are forced to work very closely together to unravel the mystery. The situation is further complicated when it is discovered that, while she looks fourteen, Mary is twenty-one and has a blood pressure level a middle-aged man would be worried about. Terri finally uncovers the truth and finds herself caught between her compassion for the mother and her horror at the twisted interpretation the woman has put on religion. When it is discovered that she has been feeding her young daughter steroids and hormones to avert the start of menstruation, Terri has to walk away.
When Ben and Bron turn up with a patient who is desperately ill but refuses to enter the hospital, they present Luke with an opportunity to think outside the square and to meet what develops into a very personal challenge. The patient turns out to be an Anglican priest who is absolutely phobic about hospitals. After initially rejecting the challenge of this patient, Luke uses every angle he can think of to win the confidence of the man, even examining him in the hospital's chapel as a first step on what is to be a difficult journey.
Connor is stunned to find Alana, a female patient, is a pre-operative transgender. His resolve to cope is shattered when he subsequently learns that she used to be his football coach, and a mentor after Connor's father died. Repulsed and betrayed, Connor wants nothing more to do with Alana. Nor can he understand how Alana's son Tom, also an old friend, can be so accepting of the situation. Alana is diagnosed with breast cancer as a result of the hormone therapy she is on. She refuses to have a mastectomy and will not stop taking the hormones, as it would mean returning to the body she felt trapped in all her life. Connor confronts her for being a coward. Surely any life is better than none at all? Tom helps Connor appreciate the significance and bravery of Alana's transformation. Her distress over the injustice of her fate and insistence that she is still the person Connor admired, finally makes him accept not only the choice Alana has made, but Alana as a woman.
Jared uncovers the dark secret behind an elderly woman's refusal to leave the bedside of a dear friend. Steph puts her credibility and that of a colleague on the line when she challenges a young doctor in front of her patient. Newly promoted and eager to put her new skills into action, ambulance officer Bron is desperate for some excitement, unfortunately her day is filled with nothing but nuisance calls. Connor looks set to miss the big footy semi-final but all is not lost when he helps save a patient's future.